Metal Cladding Types: Which Metal Cladding Material is the Best to Use?

Metal cladding is a versatile building solution that offers both aesthetic appeal and functional benefits. At Metrix Group, a leading perforated metal manufacturing company in Australia, we can help you select a suitable metal cladding material. Whether you are involved in refurbishment schemes or futuristic cladding schemes, there’s a product that’s right for the job. 

Choosing the right metal is crucial to ensure durability, sustainability, and design flexibility. With various metal cladding types available, understanding the characteristics and advantages of each material is essential in making an informed decision. Select from the following perforated or decorative cladding from Metrix Group today.

Metal Cladding for Strength and Durability

Metal cladding is popular due to its durability, strength, and versatility. It offers excellent resistance to corrosion and weathering, making it suitable for various climates, including Australia’s harsh environmental conditions. 

Further, metal cladding has a great strength to weight ratio, simplifying installation and reducing structural load requirements. Metrix Group provides metal cladding in various finishes, including mill finish, powder coated, anodised or natural materials, allowing for customisable design options to suit different architectural styles.

Aluminium Cladding Ticks all the Boxes 

Aluminium is the perfect low-maintenance metal cladding material if your project requires excellent formability, allowing for intricate designs and panel shapes. Furthermore, aluminium’s infinite recyclability aligns with Metrix Group’s commitment to sustainable construction practices, making it an environmentally friendly choice. 

While similar to steel, copper, and lead in their physical, chemical, and mechanical qualities, aluminium systems can be easily shaped, formed, and fabricated with natural corrosive protection. A perforated aluminium sheet is one-third the weight of steel but has a strength-to-weight ratio comparable to other heavier materials.

Copper Cladding: Longevity  and Aesthetic Appeal  

Copper cladding is renowned for its timeless aesthetic appeal and longevity. Over time, metal panels manufactured from copper develop a distinct patina that adds character to buildings, making it a favourite choice for architectural masterpieces. 

While copper cladding typically requires a higher initial investment than other materials, its durability and minimal maintenance requirements offer long-term cost savings. Moreover, copper is fully recyclable, aligning with Metrix Group’s sustainability goals and commitment to green building practices.

Zinc Cladding for Style and Performance

Zinc cladding is valued for its unique appearance, durability, structural integrity and self-healing properties, which makes it an excellent cladding system solution.  The metal forms a protective zinc carbonate layer over time, enhancing its resistance to corrosion and weathering. 

Zinc cladding darkens beautifully and is available in various finishes—these range from natural grey to pre-weathered options, offering design flexibility to architects and designers. Also, zinc is lightweight, low maintenance and easy to install, making it suitable for various architectural, agricultural and industrial applications. 

Metrix Group’s zinc cladding’s aesthetic appeal and performance benefits enhance any project’s visual appeal and longevity.

Cost-effective Mild Steel Cladding Systems  

Mild steel materials distinguish themselves from alloy steel by their composition, primarily iron, with minimal additional elements. 

This metal has a low carbon and alloy content and imparts more excellent ductility, machinability, and weldability than high carbon or alloy steels. However, this characteristic also renders it challenging to harden through conventional heating and quenching methods. 

Without the alloying elements in stainless steel, mild steel cladding is susceptible to oxidation (rust) if unprotected. Its popularity stems from its cost-effectiveness, as the absence of significant alloying elements makes it more economical than other steel cladding types.

Galvanised Steel Metal Cladding Systems 

The production of galvanised steel entails immersing steel in a galvanising solution. This process forms a protective coating on the metal panels that safeguards against abrasion and corrosion and provides enduring surface protection. 

Due to its durability and overall performance, this galvanising process significantly enhances the lifespan of metal cladding systems. 

However, be aware that perforations made in the material may compromise its protective integrity as ungalvanised areas become exposed. 

Employing Metrix Group’s 3D Embossing techniques can effectively maintain the integrity of the galvanising process, ensuring prolonged protection for the material.

Hospitality and Medical Applications

Stainless steel, renowned for its premium quality, encompasses three primary types: austenitic, ferritic, and martensitic. This versatile material boasts exceptional resistance to corrosion, rust, and bacterial growth, making it ideal for various cladding systems for applications such as medical facilities. 

Stainless steel’s lightweight properties and robustness also render it highly desirable in hospitality and food production industries, where hygiene, durability, and strength are paramount.

HW350/Corten Steel Metal Cladding

Regarding metal cladding materials, HW350/Corten steel is unique and renowned for its distinctive properties and aesthetic appeal. 

Corten steel’s oxidised finish, achieved through natural weathering, eliminates the need for additional painting, making it a popular choice for architectural and structural applications. 

The name “Corten” derives from its two key attributes, natural corrosion resistance and tensile strength, making it suitable for outdoor and exposed environments.

Metal Cladding Factors to Consider

Selecting the suitable metal cladding material for each application is critical to ensure your project’s integrity, aesthetics and longevity. Consider the following:

Climate and Environmental Conditions 

When choosing metal cladding panels as a building material, assess factors such as temperature fluctuations, humidity, and exposure to saltwater or pollutants. This can determine the material’s corrosion and weathering resistance.

Metal Cladding Design Requirements 

Considerations such as aesthetic preferences, architectural style, and design flexibility influence the choice of metal cladding material and finishes.

Durability and Maintenance of the Metal Cladding

Evaluate the material’s lifespan, maintenance requirements, and long-term cost implications to ensure optimal performance over the building’s lifecycle.

Metal Cladding Sustainability 

Prioritise environmentally friendly materials with high recyclability and low carbon footprint to align with sustainability objectives and industry standards.

Call on Metrix Group for Superior Metal Cladding

Metrix Group can help you choose the suitable metal cladding for your project. We can help you evaluate the unique characteristics and advantages of aluminium, steel, copper, zinc, and other cladding materials. This can help you make informed choices that meet performance requirements, design objectives, and sustainability goals to deliver high-quality, resilient products that withstand the test of time. Contact Metrix Group here.